CHELSEA, Ala. – Chelsea High School’s newly competitive show choir, “Out of the Blue” returned home on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2018 with esteemed national recognition. The group competed in the Heart of America Nashville national show choir competition held at Tennessee’s Gaylord Opryland Resort representing the state of Alabama.
OOTB was honored with a 1st Runner Up trophy in the prelim open division with a high top score earning them a spot in the final round. The evening ended with the show choir being awarded Overall 4th Runner Up and Overall Best Female Soloist (Patricia Noel) among programs double their size with triple the experience from Massachusetts, West Virginia, Indiana, and Missouri.
The award-winning ensemble was police escorted home due to the support, assistance, and organization of Chris George, Chief Deputy of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. They were met at the school by cheering fans, family, and friends as the bus pulled up and students unloaded from a very eventful, memorable, and successful weekend.
While in “Music City, USA” the group recorded two of their award-winning contest songs, ‘I Look to You’ by Whitney Houston, and ‘Devil in Disguise’ by Elvis. The songs were taped in the historic RCA Studio B at the invitation of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Some of the original instruments from Elvis’s 1963 record were used by OOTB students and staff during their session in that same place where the sounds of that chart-topper were created many years ago.
Out of the Blue is under the direction of Kay Dick, choreography and show design by Dallas Pritt, the choreography associate is Isaiah Ruyf, music arrangements by Nick Brockamp, show band direction by Melodie Dean and Landon Jones, and the Technical Direction is by Teal Dick and Billy Mitchell. The choir is comprised of thirty-two singer/dancers, a band of seven, and a crew of five. Auditions and interviews to join as a 2018-2019 member will be held at the end of the school year.
